Let's Do Ecuador...

omegaet — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:53:38 GMT

Ecuador remains one of our favorite countries in South America for both luxury and budget travel.

Just arriving by air can be your first taste of adventure:

Quito-Mariscal Sucre Airport (UIO) is one of my least favorite airports in the world....out dated, situated on a plateau, surrounded by some of the tallest peaks in the Andes, and completely besieged by industrial and residential structures…it has never been a fun place to land, at least during our last three arrivals and departures….certainly seems like the runway is just too short and the structures too high for large aircraft to be negotiating.

Here are two perfect examples of a spiraling corkscrew on a clear day....just think how many barf bags you could fill on an overcast approach or may a very dark night:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjiLGKKwOGk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXSJVHoXy58&feature=fvw

Imagine doing this with low hanging clouds.....while fixating on towering snow covered peaks of several surrounding volcanoes on the initial approach, then transitioning into a downward blind spiral through the clouds...wondering if there really is a runway below and if the pilots are going to come in too short or a go a little too long!

Hopefully by our next visit, the new Quito International Airport, which is scheduled to open sometime in 2010 and is situated about 10 miles outside of the city will be operational. The new airport promises to provide a little less excitement for landings and take off, but the safe arrival percentages are anticipated to escalate dramatically.

For us, Quito is a place for a brief stop, maybe to shower, grab some sleep and then move on to more interesting destinations. Never seen much there to excite us….how many more cathedrals can I walk through?

The JW Marriott is our choice for an overnight or two in Quito (everything works, including the plumbing and their sewer system accepts soiled toilet tissue….such is not the case in a couple of the other hotel we have tried:

http://www.ecuador.com/health-safety/

http://www.exploringecuador.com/ecuador_toilets_drinking_water.htm

..if you don’t mind their “once daily” emptying of the little baskets, then there are several historic hotels in Quito you might consider for your visit, but you can do your own Internet search and live with your own decisions.

Honestly, don’t break your neck to rush to the Otavalo Market….over the past ten years it’s basically morphed into a commercial flea market for tourists…much like Chicastenango in Guatemala.

If you want to see mercados authentico, then visit theSaquisilí market down by Cotopoxi, which is one of the largest remaining indigenous markets in Ecuador and there several other markets nearby including Pujili, Latacunga and Ambato…smaller, but the real deal.

Best to have a guide along, just to assist with translations (may of the indigenous speak very little Spanish and even less English).

One thing for certain, if you visit any or all of these markets, you will likely become an object of interest and curiosity, since not too many norte americanos visit regularly.

Previous trips to Ecuador have included trekking some of the lower altitude trails of the Andes and advancing upward to some of the day hikes along the bases of volcanoes such as Cotopaxi.

We have also spent time in one of the eco camps in the rainforest of the eastern slopes of the Andes…Kapawi Eco-Lodge constructed on one of the major tributaries of the Amazon River and not too far from the Peruvian border. This is real rainforest living....so request and pay attention to the DVD before you make your final decision to travel here.

Ecuador was also our jumping off point for a cruise among the Galapagos Islands off the Pacific coast, which involves a visit to Guayaquil.....too many people (largest city by population in the country).

We did spend a week in Cuenca…one of the real treasures of and not so crowded Spanish Colonial cities of the Andes.

Should you travels take you deeper into the Andes and the colonial city of Cuenca….plan on visiting our friends (actually catered events for us for years here in South Florida) Chris and Leslie Breen….owner/operators of

Café Eucalyptus.

They have lived there for many years and suffered the trials and tribulations of opening a business in a foreign county. Thankfully, their most difficult times are behind them and now their café is a favorite of locals and world travelers as well…they are featured in most of the top guide books as the place to refresh yourself when in Cuenca:

www.cafeeucalyptus.com/

Another reason to consider travel to Ecuador is the very favorable currency conversion of the Ecuadorian Sucre with the US Dollar..…approximately 25,000 to 1 at the time I am writing this.

Looking for some interesting places to stay outside of the main cities consider one or all of the following: Each of them offer unique and typical experiences.

Hacienda La Cienega (one of my favorite places in Ecuador)

www.hosterialacienega.com/

Hacienda Zuleta

www.zuleta.com/

The Inca House

http://incahacienda.com/

It would be nice for the Luxury Link Sales Team to find some interesting properties in Ecuador……while the country still offer luxury destinations at relative travel bargain prices!

Message Edited by omegaet on 11-02-2009 07:06 PM

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

kyshel — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:18:46 GMT

Help--I need a correct link to the video, please.

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

omegaet — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:15:47 GMT

Oops....don't know what happened...now you have two choices for the UIO approach and landing!

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

Mountie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:12:34 GMT

Hey, -O-, the airport landings in Quito do look a little fightening, especially considering the youtube videos did not involve larger airplanes, such as would be used to fly to Quito from the U.S. I would need some strong to drink if I were going to make that trip. When does the new airport open?

Also, whats up with collecting used toilet once a day?

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

omegaet — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:03:53 GMT

mountie....the new airport in Quito is slightly behind schedule for completion....about three years behind right now. Looks like their new target for opening is late 2010.

If they manage to open the airport in late 2010 or early 2011, we would certainly consider a return to Ecuador and do some further explorations.

Unfortunately, when the new airport opens, it will be a greatly reduced altitude allowing for better air traffic control, which translates to more tourists.

We still have a return trip on our list.

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

travel2fun — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:50:21 GMT

omegaet, as always, at least most of the time, I enjoy reading your postings. However, in this case the hotels you have mentioned, especially Hacienda La Cienega, get very mixed and often poor reviews on tripadvisor.com.

Are you comfortable you have suggested the best hotels?

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

omegaet — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:29:31 GMT

t-2-f...thank you for taking the time to read my postings and it is nice to know you enjoy them ("at least most of them").

I didn't call the following properties the "best hotels."

Hacienda La Cienega (one of my favorite places in Ecuador)

www.hosterialacienega.com/

Hacienda Zuleta

www.zuleta.com/

The Inca House

http://incahacienda.com/

I referred to the all of them as "interesting" and one of them as "my favorite." I can understand why several of the www.tripadvisor.com reviewers rated them with fewer than five stars.

Our personal experiences in these properties were enjoyable...and probably because we had a pretty fair idea of what to expect. On cold nights....and there can be many of them in the Andes regardless of the season....the rooms can become quite chilled....no central heating in any of them when we visited. Furnishings are basic in all three properties.

The structures are old and with age comes certain qualities and faults.

We went to these areas and stayed at these properties to experiences the settings and surroundings. We were pleased.

Back in Quito, the level of hotels are different....even offering room service, etc!

Admittedly, Ecuardo is not the destination for everyone.....and these properties would not be ideal for many travelers. It is always about being informed before heading out on an adventure., especially to a Third World country.

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

dhdanner@verizon.net — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:43:52 GMT

We loved Ecuador - stayed in the Hotel Sierra Madra in Quito - a quaint old colonial house and you are right about there be no central heating - it was chilly at night but the heaps of balnkets made up for that. Loved Quito, the equator monument area, Otavalo and our excursion into the Amazon on the Flotel. The Ecuadorian amazon was much better than when we went in through Peru

Denise

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

kapper — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:03:42 GMT

Interesing observations.

omegaet, I noticed you mentioned Cuenca. Where did you stay? When we visited Cuenca we stayed in a suite at Hotel Mansion Alcazar. This was one of the real treasures of our three weeks in Ecuador.

Staying at Mansion Alcazar is much like a giant step back in time, more or less like a private home and a wonderfully attentive staff. We encountered many more Europeans than Americans during our time in Cuenca.

We stopped by Cafe Eucalyptus a couple of times for drinks and light dining and enjoyed the experience. Both times, the cafe was crowded with primarily English speaking clients having a good time. Seems like most visitors to Cuenca find their way to the cafe.

Don't recall meeting the owners.

We took day trips outside of Cuenca and still feel the surrounding areas offer some of the most beautiful sights we experienced in Ecuador.

We would return to Ecuador as well, but will probably wait until the new airport is completed.

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

omegaet — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:34:11 GMT

dhdanner@verizon.net...thank you for reading my blog. Ecuador proved to be a extraordinary trip for us and we enjoyed the variety of experiences as well. Entering into and spending time in the Ecuadorean Amazon is a "wild" and "less visited" experience than other entry points for sure. Kawapi was probably the most "remote" destination we have ever visited.

There are no roads within a ten day hike (assuming you know which direction to hike) of the camp and the adjacent streams and rivers are not easily negotiated...even by the locals. So spending time with and among people who are isolated adds to the adventure.

We have Ecuador on our list of counties to which we would return.

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

omegaet — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:31:31 GMT

kapper......we did not stay at a hotel in Cuenca, we stayed with our friends, the owners of Cafe Eucalyptus. We did not visit Hotel Mansion Alcazar, although it looks like an interesting property....a place we might consider, had our friends not offered space in their home.

Cuenca is a great walking city, if you have any interest in Spanish Colonial architecture. We spent the better part of two days just walking the streets and sticking our heads into interesting little shops and visiting street markets.

As for the Cafe Eucalyptus, we spent five evenings there, hanging with our friends who own the place. It was entertaining and educational sitting by the fireplace and chatting and trading stories with guests from all over the world.

Re: Let's Do Ecuador...

Mountie — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:20 GMT

Oh why haven't I done something about planning a trip to Ecuador.